Apple Produces 2005 iPhone Prototype in Lawsuit vs. Samsung

Less than a week ago, we covered a story on the Apple, Samsung legal battle. At the time, the odds were somewhat even, as both parties had their own different versions of the story. Samsung in particular alleged that Apple sourced the iPhone’s design from Sony.

Today, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has shot down those allegations by producing iPhone prototype designs that date back all the way to 2005. The prototype designs bore striking resemblance to the iPhone 4 that was released in 2010. These designs add up to a mountain of evidence that Apple will use in court, as the much awaited court proceedings start today.

The designs, which were filed with new court documents, reveal that the basic design of the iPhone 4 was sourced from the prototype, internally referred to as the “purple”. In fact, the “purple’s” edges and flat sides are mirror images of what was seen in the iPhone 4 five years later.

Samsung has now been pushed to a wall, as its previous allegation, that Apple sourced iPhone designs from Sony, seems to have lost value.

According to Samsung, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) had sourced the iPhone design from Sony. Samsung went on to state that Shin Nishibori, an Apple designer, produced a prototype that included the word ‘Jony’, perhaps inspired by lead designer Jony Ive. The ‘Jony’, Samsung alleges was similar to the Sony logo, both in size and font.

Samsung’s evidence will, however, face serious scrutiny and may even fail to hold ground in the hearings. This is chiefly because Apple’s evidence not only argues against Samsung’s allegations, but also predates Samsung’s ‘Jony’ idea by several months. As such, if the court finds sense in Apple’s evidence, Samsung will have no case to argue with regard to the whole Sony allegation.

This lawsuit has come at an expense to both companies, as they have been compelled to dish out highly confidential information to aid in the investigations. In fact, some unreleased iPad and iPhone design prototypes were revealed last week. Some of the designs that may probably be seen in future devices, include a two-toned back casing for an iPhone and an iPad that has a kickstand.

Speculation continues to grow over Apple’s sincere intentions as far as the legal tag of war is concerned. There could be a possibility that Apple not only intends to trample over Samsung but to also hit at Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG), which highly depends on Samsung for its Android operating system.

The Apple, Samsung litigation drama is far from over. Today merely marks the beginning of a heated battle. Expect us to keep you updated on key advancements in the court room.